Would It bring You Value?
The idea of filling your life with things of value is huge. It’s a discipline that is both Biblical as well as fulfilling. As my blog continues to grow and take on form, I always want to accomplish one thing. Make it valuable to you. What does that mean? Well it doesn’t mean that I am trying to earn your readership. What you get here is going to be real and honest. I am not looking to please you, but I am definitely looking to engage with you. Sometimes it will be serious and sometimes silly. Sometimes it may mean more than other times, but I always want it to have value.
Something really important to me is that I do not waste your time. I think I have a lot to talk about. heck, I am a talker. But I also believe that many of the things I could talk about may be of no value to you, my readers.
So, what do you think is valuable about this blog? What would give it more value?
I am asking you this, becasue I am considering some of the things I want to do here. One of my options is to talk more to the ministry I am a part of. If you are not aware, I am the Pastor of Worship and Media at our church. Basically, I am in charge of everything music and media, including service programming and some creative direction. I have not taken a lot of time to talk about these things, because sometimes, frankly, I am not sure what I have to say is any different than so many of the great blogs out there already talking about it. But, I want to add value to this blog. Would this bring it value?
In the past, there have been really popular posts called worship confessionals. A buddy of mine Fred McKinnon has just started up a fresh version of this called Setlist Sunday’s. it’s an opportunity for those of us in leadership at our churches to talk honestly about the weekend gatherings we just participated in. I am considering joining in with this, but will it bring value to you? I could talk about our production till I am blue in the face, but why? Well, I think you, my readers, know why. You know whether or not I would be doing this because others are, or because it would be a valuable resource.
So, let me know. How can this blog be more valuable to you? Would posts about my work bring you value?
Hey bro,
First, thanks for posting to “Sunday Setlists”, I really appreciate it. How cool that you’d already done it BEFORE I emailed and asked if you’d consider being a part of it. Thanks a kazillion.
“Sunday Setlists” isn’t meant to replace Worship confessionals at all – as a matter of fact, it’s kinda resurrected them to an extent. It’s just a way we can all network and bring our “worship confefssionals”, “textfessionals” and “setlist recaps” together for the mutual benefit of seeing what others are doing, getting creative ideas from one another, and trading links.
As for this blog – one word for me .. “authenticity”. I like your authenticity. I like that you’ll just talk about what’s happening in your life.
I would LOVE to hear more about your ministry work – it’s got to be a huge place in your life, right? But, though we’ve never met, I also feel like old pals, so I’m interested in just reading about your life.
one thing I’m trying (TRYING) to get better with is keeping my blog shorter.. I’m a miserable failure at that. MISERABLE.
I’ve got over 150+ blogs in Google Reader in the last couple of days, and I’m coming to realize that I can’t keep doing this … I can’t keep trying to keep up with it all … I’ve got a ministry, a family, a business, and no longer make time to do creative things like composing and recording.
That being said, shorter is better. I’d rather see a short blog that is broken up over 3 days than long ones. And just to be clear, I’m not speaking out of experience on YOUR BLOG – I think you do a great job of building community and engaging with great comments … I’m just speaking “generally” … if it’s really long, I’m starting to skip over them, (anywhere) unless I know it’s something very important.
Hope that helps. Keep doing it, man. We’re reading.
For the Kingdom,
Fred McKinnon
http://www.fredmckinnon.com
http://www.theworshipcommunity.com
(dang, my stinkin’ comment is too long)
Fred F. McKinnon’s last blog post…Sunday Setlists #3 – Join the Fun
I love ministry posts, but honestly, I want to hear how you are living out ministry. How is being a worshiper and leader intersecting with your life? What are your questions? Share your journey. I want to share those “God Moments”. They encourage me.
I’ll agree with Jan regarding “God Moments” – I love hearing about how God is working, even in the tiniest details or random daily things. Those are the things that can at times cause me to feel the most loved & cared for by God personally.
Also, I’ll go with Fred on authenticity as well. It’s nice when people share what’s going on in their lives honestly, & how it relates to also being involved in ministry, & the BIG picture of sharing Christ’s love in the world.
I also don’t mind seeing setlists & worship recaps myself. It gives me ideas & also shows me how God sometimes ties things together even across countries in worship & themes churches are focusing on any given week or even larger time periods.
A.’s last blog post…Sunday Setlist – 08/10/08
Brent,
I may not comment much here, but I faithfully read here. I think what draws me back is that you do ministry EVERYWHERE. If it’s at home or the fairgrounds. I think if you went totally ministry I wouldn’t be interested. I’m interested in people who handle ministry with teenagers living in their home ( an area where I am at personally) Doing ministry married (that’s important) also, how you do ministry with life going around 360 degrees. That’s interesting!!!
Anyways … don’t change a thing!!!
Heidi’s last blog post…Piece Of Heaven
first off. I love your blog…and the relationship we have built on here and..on mine.
I would love to hear more on the technical side of how you work.
I love the personal stuff as well.
for me there are 2 kinds of value
one is relational and the other is something I can use…
klampert’s last blog post…Mancation: day 1
Dude, I’m all about keeping it real (which I think you do well).
I know the big blogging web sites like copyblogger.com tell you to keep your target audience in mind, stay focused on topics relevent to your readers, stuff like that. But I’m just too all over the place to try to keep myself in just one topic.
I’ll post about my newest music finds one day, extreme poverty in Africa the next, and then post pictures and videos of my kids after that.
In other words, just post what is on your heart. If you’re thinking it, we’ll read it. And it will be more enjoyable to read because you’re writing from what you’re passionate about right now rather than trying to come up with something to “entertain us.”
Anyway, that’s My two cents.
Brad Ruggles’s last blog post…Was I Really “Roughing It”?
Wow, thanks for all the very kind comments and encouragements to new ideas and continuing old ones.
Fred, length can be an issue for me. I tend to talk a lot so, I tend to type a lot. I am aware of it and doing my best. Breaking things up is a great idea. I do believe ministry will be a part of this blog more.
janowen, Agreed! I need to show how the two interact more. My life is not being a Pastor, it is being a follower of Christ, but it would be valuable to me to introspect how those two collide at times.
A, the biggest reason I’ve never done a confessional or posted set lists has been because I’ve always felt that what we do at Table Rock is very personal to our church. It may completely be unrelated to another local church’s journey. I don’t want to encourage copying, but I do want to resource, so I am working on how to balance those two ideas.
Heidi, thank you. thank you for faithfully hanging out and getting involved. I truly appreciate it!
Joel! I have always encouraged the relationships and community here, but I have not done well at handing back to you guys things that I have to offer or give. I don’t want to teach, so to speak, but I do want to offer what I am learning and do that together. So I will work on that.
Brad, thanks for your thoughts. I agree with your take on “what’s on the heart”. I’ve always taken that approach. I don’t plan ahead, I don’t schedule what I’ll talk about. if it’s on my mind, that’s what we talk about. As I continue to make this blog a big part of what I do and who I am, I want to keep that heart. while at the same time show responsibility to you and myself on adding value. There are just sometimes, people don’t want to see hair on a shower wall
But you all are teaching me those balances and I’m having a blast doing it.
I would LOVE if you started blogging more about your ministry. To me, that would be invaluable! Bring it on!
JudiFree.com’s last blog post…Even If…
I like that your blog is diversified in many differnt topics..and you are not afraid to show your home side and your ministry side..and that we can come here and laugh about some off the news stories that really should not have ever been new stories in the first place.. I am good with whatever you decide…its your blog..and friends are friends regardless..love ya!
darla’s last blog post…Yesterday, Today, and Forever…
I’ve thought/prayed alot about this post since reading it last PM, so I hope my comments reflect that.
I do appreciate your opening this up to receiving our input as well as your desire to ‘engage’ us as readers.
To answer your main question:
This (blog) can become more ‘valuable’ to me by seeing how it is becoming more valuable to you.
‘Authenticity’(revealing ‘who you presently ARE’) can be good or bad, but I think ‘vulnerability’ (toward helping you ‘grow’ into who you want to BECOME) is more valuable.
For instance, what do you see as the reasons why you blog?:
- as an outlet for your personal thoughts/experiences?
- to receive input affirming ‘who you are’?
- to be ‘challenged’ to become more?
- to open your life up to non-believers as a witness?
- to grow in the knowledge of Christ?
- accountability to all who read (cyber- & ‘real-life’ friends alike)?
These are good reasons, and you might say ‘yes’ to all (with even more to add), but I think the most valuable thing to me would be to see how it is changing us both (all) into the image of Christ by the interactions it provides.
It’s great to be deep and vulnerable in posts such as “Why Are We Moving” or “Do What You Will” (8/15/07), but I don’t read a lot about your ‘follow up’ on those pivotal points in your life experiences. How has God changed you as a result?
This relational ‘format’ is definitely a ‘controlled environment’ in that you can delete comments (though I don’t think you do – maybe just obscenities, so I’ll try to watch myself on that =), and come back with rebuttals, or just distract attention away from comments by posting something else (not to say you do that either, but you could).
Whatever you/we do here, God isn’t ‘controlled’ by us, so that’s what I mean by becoming more vulnerable (to Him and each other).
What are your deepest struggles in real life that we can identify with/learn from/ and help you through?
That kind of vulnerablilty definitely starts with God since He’s the one who ‘knows us better than we know ourselves’ and is able to transform/renew our minds directly or via others He chooses to use. For me, that process happens most through cirucumstances (and yes, people too) that we CAN’T ‘control’, as desperately as we might want to.
Alot said, and more than enough most likely, but hopefully it’s understandable and relevant to your questions.
You asked for it =},
D-
Judi, thanks. I will do my best.
Darla, you make me smile
D, thank you for your well thought/prayed through response, ideas and encouragement. Vulnerability is huge and is a crucial element of authenticity. I will continue to learn to be more and more vulnerable, so that I can be more and more authentic. I am assuming your questions are meant to be reflective for me, so I will treat them as that, but I will take them to heart. And, you might want to read my new post.
I wanted to add to my comment…
I love that you blog from the heart..whether it is serious or silly..i thought about why?? I think its because you are valuable..therefore your blog posts are valuable too.
darla’s last blog post…Yesterday, Today, and Forever…
Darla, thank you.
Writing. Good writing. Reflective. Insightful. Challenging.
Despite all the goodies, a blog still mostly consists of writing.
TheNorEaster’s last blog post…Living Water: The Well of Life
Nor, I will do my best. I don’t consider myself a writer, but I know I can improve as well. I consider myself a thinker that likes to talk
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